Laundry machine with hydraulic separator



Oct. 10, 1961 H. H. MORRIS ETAL LAUNDRY MACHINE WITH HYDRAULIC sEPARAToR n H e WL Q.

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INVENTORS HAROLD H. MORRIS BY SAMUEL E. STONE ATTO RNEYS OC- 10 1951 H. H. MORRIS ETAL v3,003,346

LAUNDRY MACHINE WITH HYDRAULIC SEPARATOR Filed May 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTORS HAROLD H. MORRIS SAMUEL E. STONE ATTO R N EYS United States Patent O 3,003,346 LAUNDRY MACHINE WITH HYDRAULIC SEPARATOR Harold H. Morris, St. Joseph, and Samuel E. Stone, Berrien Springs, Mich., assignors to Whirlpool Corporation, St. Joseph, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 9, 1957, Ser. No. 658,158 4 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) The present invention relates to improvements in laundering mechanism and methods and more particularly to a laundry machine and method having a laundering iluid handling system for an improved laundering operation wherein undesirable foreign particles are removed from the iluid.

Efforts have been heretofore made to separate foreign particles from laundering fluid. Removal of foreign materials such as soils is particularly desirable in home laundering machines during laundering, inasmuch as the Vlaundering operation is improved and the clothes or fabrics will become cleaner`when washed with a clean laundering fluid. Further, the fluid can be used for a greater number of succeeding washing operations. This is an important feature in areas where water shortages occur. Also, if the laundry water can be reused, savings in fuel for heating the water and in soap or detergent are obtained. An eiective means for clearing laundering water is especially useful in machines employing sudssaving systems wherein the sudsy wash water is stored between washing operations.

Water clearing devices such as filters have been used with home laundry machines, but these are limited in that the particle size removed from the water is limited by the size of the filter opening which can be used without the ilter clogging during washing operation. Further, in lters and water clearing some means must be provided for frequently cleaning the collected foreign materials from the dev-ice, and this often must be done manually.

An important feature of the present invention is the provision of an improved laundering machine of the home laundry type having a greatly improved uid clearing apparatus which removes foreign materials from the laundry water and which -is cleaned automatically Without manual attention.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a home laundry machine employing a fluid system which successfully uses a conically-shaped separating chamber, also known as an hydraulic cyclone separation chamber.

Ordinary hydraulic cyclone separators as heretofore provided would not be satisfactory in a home laundry machine in that 2 to 10% of all the fluid put through the heretofore known separators would be diverted to waste acting merely as a motion vehicle for the heavier phase particles or material passing through the underow and into the discharge orifice.

Moreover, in separation problems such as are encountered in the laundry field, there exists large size and density variations in the particles to be separated, and such particles are not successfully removed by prior art devices.

The present yinvention overcomes the diiiiculties heretofore encountered and successfully employs a separator operable on the cyclone principle to the fluid system of a laundry machine. According to the invention a cyclone separator is provided in which an enlarged waste opening handles foreign materials separated from the iluid and the underflow or discharge of fluid through the Waste opening is fed to a closed container with a regulated overflow. The cyclone separator operatesat a maximum eiciency removing particles of varying size Without the loss of large quantities of fluid and @the foreign materials and solid particles are effectively removed from the fluid to be puriied. A further feature of the invention is controlling the waste overflow whereby the fluid which must be lost through the separator discharge is regulated and maintained at a desirable minimum in accordance with eiiicient operation, dependent on the type of foreign materials to be removed and the degree of puriiication desired.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a collection vessel which receives the foreign materials from the cyclone chamber, and means whereby the vessel is automatically iiushed. This may be achieved by the provision of a pressure-actuated valve at the base of collection vessel with the valve being actuated by a ow valve which temporarily shuts oif the fluid discharge from the separator ahead of the collection vessel to increase the pressure in the separator and collection vessel.

In accordance with the foregoing, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kind referred to which employs an hydraulic cyclone iilter and which makes possible the separation of particles of varying size in a cyclone filter without the loss of a significant amount of fluid.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for the separation of foreign particles from the iiuid wherein the particles removed are received in a collection vessel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a uid separation apparatus for removing foreign particles from uid wherein the amount of fluid lost with the discharge of particles is controlled. t

A further object of the invention is to provide an hydraulic cyclone separator provided with a collection ves-V sel for the foreign particles removed from the uid which is provided with means for cleaning the collection vessel and especially which is provided with an automatic ushing valve whereby the fluid media which carries the foreign particles can be used for quickly and eiectively ushing the collection vessel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved uid purication means which is suitable for use n an automatic home laundry machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved iiuid purication apparatus employing an hydraulic cyclone iilter and which is suitable for use in a home llaundry machine, and wherein particles of lint and soil are removed from the washing uid during the washing operation without the loss of a signiicant amount of fluid, said particles being of greater density than the uid and varying in size.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus and method for continually purifying washing fluid during the operation of a home laundry machine, which does not require manual attention and cleaning, and which can be automatically ushed to a drain to remove lint and foreign particles from the operating mechanism without danger of plugging or stopping the fluid conduits.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent with the teaching of the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure of the preferred embodiments in the specilication, claims anddrawings, in

which:

FGURE 1 is a vertical sectional View shown somewhat schematically and illustrating the combination separation apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line II-II Patented Oct. 10, 1961 3 t the invention as used with a laundry machine, wherein fluid from the collection vessel is discharged into the tub.

As shown on the drawings:

Although the principles of the present invention are of general applicability, a particularly useful application of the present invention isV made to a laundering process and apparatus wherein a stream of liquid is driven through aiclosed. 'liquid circuit and at one point in the circuit, a batch of clothes or materials to be laundered is confined in a pool `of the .liquid for the purpose of admixing with the stream VIliquid-irrmiiscible components removedfrorn the clothes or materials to be laundered, thereby to entrain theliquidfimmiscible components in the stream,ithen subsequently vertically whirhng the stream -at another point inthe circuit to produce a fluid vortex for separat# ingoutthe liquid-immiscible components from the liquid stream'so that the liquid stream may be recycled to the one point in the liquidY circuit.

YConventional hydrocyclonicmeans heretofore known cannot be satisfactorily employed'to remove particles of large size and density variations, as characterized in a laundry fluid system, since the underllow/ or discharge orice'used for the discharge of foreign materials would have to be of such a size that the efficiency would be re duced due to pressure and liow'reductions and a very large 'amount ofthe fluid in the system would be wasted because of the overflow characteristics. Thus, fresh heated make-upY water and additional soap or detergent wouldbe required, adding to the cost and general inconvenience.

Referring particularly to FIGURES l and 2, the hydraulic cyclone separator element 10 of the present invention is 'shown connected to receive the flow of fluid media through a conduit 12. The fluid is received by Aa conically-shaped cyclone chamber 14 through a tangential inlet oriiiceV 16, which enters the chamber'from an inlet fitting 18.

The hydraulic cyclone 10, which provides the cyclone chamber 14, maybe of any desirable material and may beY formed in sections as illustrated in the drawing, or maybe of a single casting. As illustrated, the cyclone separator 1Q` hasV a head portion 20 which has Va cylin-v drically-shaped inner wall 22, having outwardly extend in g anges 24 and 26. The ilanges 24 and 26 are providedgwith a plurality of holes 2S. and 46,'the` holes'28 receiving a corresponding plurality of bolts 30 to attach an end ,cap 32. A plurality of nuts 36 are engaged on thejbolts 3tl'and a gasket 3S is interposed between the anges, for forming a huid-tight joint. Y

VAn -,intermediate body portion having tapered walls formsY ai tapered section 40 and is attached to the downstream end Aof the cylindrical section 2t?.v An annular ilaugeA 4 2l is providedA with annularly varranged holes 44 which are aligned with the holes 46 in the flange 24 to receive attaching bolts and nuts 48. A downstream section 50 of the chamber has au annular flange 52 provided'with holes 54 which are aligned with holes 56 in a YilangefSS at the bottom' of the conical section 40 for receiving bolts and nuts 60 to secure vthe sections together. Y A fluid sealing gasket 62 is provided betweenV the sections 2,0 and 40, and a sealinglgaslret 64 is pro vided between the sections 40 and 50.

V.The fluid is discharged' tangentially into a cyclone chamber,Y 66j through'an oriiice 16 thereby forming a vortex in thehamber 66. AThe huid ow also follows a circulation path indicated by the arrows 68. Particles hav' ing a greater density than the fluid media will be forced by rc entrifugal action radially outwardly toward the wall 14`-andmove` axially toward the base to'pass out through the discharge passageway 7). The uid from which the particles have been removed or eilluent will leave the chamber through the vortex-finding tube 72. Y

The vortexfinding tube 72 extends axiallyA into the top of the cyclone chamber 66 and the clarilied fluid or eiiiuent is carried to a lluidpconduit 74 which is attached to 4 a hub 76, secured to cap 32 and integral with the vortexnding tube 7 2.

The conduit 74 is provided with a shut-olf valve 78 which is normally in the open position shown in the solid line position of the drawing. The claried uid or eluent is recycled or returned to the point in the circuit characterized as a'treatment zone. If desired, one or more additional cyclone units St) may be employed in the circuit. Each succeeding cyclone unit indicated diagrammatically at 80, is of the same general construction as the assembly described in connection with FIGURE 1 and includes the cyclone, separator 10, the secondary outlet chamber 82, the collection vessel 84, the regulated overflow means 86 and the vessel flushing means 90.V

In Vorder to drive the uid through `the closed liquid circuit of the system, there is provided a pumping means which may conveniently comprise a positiveV displacement pumpltl. Y While the clarified fluid or efuent is discharged through the vortex-finding tubeV 72, the immiscible separated particles of a varying density greater than the fluid media leave through theoutlet passageway 79,. The passageway is sufficiently large. to accommodate and permitY removal of particles of varying size encountered in laundering processes.

The discharge passageway't) .comrnunicatv with a secondary outlet chamber 62, having a cylindrically-shaped inner wall 94 terminating in a conically-shaped tapered wall 96Y intersected by an outlet pipe Y98. The secondary outlet chamber 82 is provided with a suitable connecting flange ltltl'having aY passageway 102 through the wall of thechamber 82 in order that the separated immiscible compoents of the liquid stream may be removed from the liquid circuit. Y

'The separated solids'` 0r waste which is receivedv from the eycline uuit'discharge into a collection vessel 84.A Ihe vessel 84 forms a relatively quiescent pool and since only a small amount of liquid accompanies the separated solids, the waste particles will follow the path of the arrows 104 andV settle at theY bottom 106 ofthe collection vessel. Y

Accumulated: liquid -is discharged from the collection vessel 84 through any overflow outlet 108 having a controllable flow regulating valve 110 adjusted to permit a ow ofY fluid thl'ough'the overflow outlet 1082 in accordance with Variable factors such asl the rate of' operation of thek system to accelerate the removal ofthe separated.

foreign'materials. For example, by selectively adjusting the rate of overflow, different sizedparticles through a Wide range of size as is encountered Vin laundering opera- Ytions can be effectively accommodated. Thus, if larger f lectionfvesselV 84L and is automatically removed by an automatic flushing Valve and the shut-offv valve 78.

f WhenltheV collection vessel 84 is to be flushed, the valve 78 is closed andthe positive displacement pump feeding the inlet oriiice 16 will cause a pressure to b'e'builtY up within the cyclone chamber 66.' 'This pressure will be relayed to the collection vessel 84 and the flushing` valve 90 will `automatically open to permit a flow of'- the fluid media from 'within the cyclone chamber 66 down through the collectionV vessel 84 to carry the' settled foreign particles from the collection vesseltand out -through thedrain line174.V A

The flushing valve is contained in a housing 116 suitably Yattached by a hollow threaded angedsleeve 4118 to thebase `of the collection vessel. The'rhub' 118 has an annularl valve Yseat at'itsvlower end against" which seats the valyehead 122.4. The head is4 held against'the seat 120 by a coil compression spring 124 in a manner so that the head will move away from the seat with an excess of fluid pressure and the valve is thus pressureresponsive.

The valve is supported on a valve stem 126 slidably mounted in a tubular recess 128 in the plug 130. The plug 130 is threaded into a sleeve 132, which is provided with a shoulder 1'34 for carrying the valve-operating spring 1'24. O-ring seals 136 and 138 are provided to prevent the leakage of uid.

It will be understood that other forms of separators could be advantageously employed with the collection and discharge vessel arrangement described above.

The laundering machine of the present invention is indicated at 142 and preferably comprises an automatic washer of the type having pre-settable control means for subjecting a batch of clothes to a series of washing, rinsing and extracting cycles, or if the machine is a so-called combo, or combination washer-dryer, the series of operations may further include a drying cycle.

In operation, therefore, the immiscible solids removed by washing from the clothes at one point in the closed liquid circuit are admixed with the liquid stream and the v resulting suspension is forced into the cyclone chamber 66 through the tangential inlet orifice 16 by the pump 160, whereupon it circulates or whirls vortically as indicated by the arrows 68, FIGURE 2. The immiscible components are Separated from the liquid stream and pass through the discharge passageway 70, while the clarified liquid or effluent enters the vortex-nding tube 72 for discharge to a point of utilization, for example, it is recycled to the treatment zone.

The separated components or waste materials pass into the secondary chamber 82 and down through the pipe 98 whereupon the vsolids settle in the base 106 of the collection vessel 84 and overllow tluid passes out through the overflow outlet 108 under the control of a variable ow regulator valve 110. At periodical intervals the shut-olf valve 78 is closed to cause a pressure to build up in the collection vessel and cause the pressureresponsive valve-head 122 to move away from its seat 120 and permit the fluid to ush the sediment in the col-V lection vessel out through the drain conduit 114.

The automatic laundry machine 142 shownfor illustration herein is a vertical axis type machine and has a cabinet 144 in which is contained a uid tub 146 providing a treatment zone or washing chamber 148 and wherein a pool of laundry liquid is collected in the liquid circuit and in which soiled materials are conned for washing, thereby to admix immiscible solids with the liquid stream. It will be understood that horizontal axis machines could also be used. The cabinet 144 preferably houses the separator i140 as well as all of the other components of the uid system or liquid circuit, thereby to form an integrated self-contained apparatus.

To assist in removing dirt, or immiscible solids from the clothes, a basket 150 which may be perforated and which contains fabric articles to be washed is provided in the tub 146. An agitator 152 mounted on shaft 154 is employed to mechanically tlex the clothes in the confined pool of liquid. The basket may also be mounted on a tubular shaft 156 for rotation for centrifugal extraction of liquid from the clothes.

The laundry machine 142 is provided with an automatic control system including pre-settable regulating means for controlling valves and operating mechanism for admitting fresh water to the tub 146 and for operating the agitator 152 and for otherwise sequentially controlling the machine automatically through a cycle of operations. The pre-settable means of the control system includes a time switch 158 mounted on the cabinet 144 and the electrical system also is arranged to operate a pump 160 and valves 161 and 162, and stop valve 78.

During the washing cycle, a supply of laundry liquid containing liquid-miscible detergents or cleaning solution or other suitable cleansing agents is continually circulat- 6 ed as a liquid stream through the liquid circuit. To effect this circulation, and to establish the liquid circuit, a irst conduit 164 leads between the tub and the separating assembly 140. In this conduit is the positiveV displacement pump 160, which, for purposes of illustration, is shown schematically as a gear pump. The pump may be driven by a suitable electric motor or may be driven by the main driving motor (not shown) which operates to oscillate the agitator 152 and spin the basket 150. For the continued recirculation of the washing water during the laundering operation, the valve 161, which is shown at the Y-connection 168, is in the solid line position and the stop valve 78 is opened. With the valves in Ithis position, the positive displacement pump 160 drives a stream of fluid through the entire closed liquid circuit.

The soils and other foreign particles which are separated from the stream pass into the collection vessel 84 and the small amount of overflow fluid which is lost passes out through the conduit 172 to be discharged through the drain conduit 174, herein shown in a compartment 178 of a sink 180 having a drain outlet 182.

Alternatively, the overflow uid may be salvaged for reuse by means of an alternate conduit 172a, as shown in FIG. 4, to return the overllow iiuid to the tub 146.

At one or more intervals during the washing cycle, the stop valve 78 is closed to cause the liushing valve 90 to open and flush the foreign materials from the collection vessel 84. The stop valve 78 must be closed while there is water in the tub 146 so that water under pressure will be available for flushing. The circuitry of the time control apparatus indicated at 158, for example, may be such so that the valve 78 opens just at the end of the washing operation and before the rinse operation so that the collection vessel can be flushed and will be cleaned for succeeding washing operations,

At the end of the washing operation, the washing fluid within the tub 146 is delivered either Vtothe drain conduit 174 or to the suds saver conduit 184 to beternporarily stored in a compartment 186 of the sink 180. For this operation, the valve 161 is turned to the dotted line position so that the uid leaving the pump 160 will be forced into t-he conduit 188. When the valve 162 is in the solid line position, the duid will flow up to the suds-saver conduit 184. Each of the valves 162 and 161 may be electrically operated, such as by a solenoid, to be controlled by the time cycle control mechanism 158 of the presettable sequential control means.

If the liquid in the circuit is not to be stored and is to be sent to the drain, upon completion of a cycle, for example, following a rinsing cycle, the valve 162 is turned to the dotted line position, and the fluid forced by the pump to pass through the conduit 188 will be discharged to the drain line 174. If desired, another valve may be placed between -the drain line and the separation apparatus to prevent the fluid from passing in reverse direction through the line 172, but because of the small outlet aiorded by the ow regulator valve 110, this is not usually necessary.

For a succeeding operation of the apparatus through another series of sequential operations, the washing solution which has been saved in the compartment 186 is returned by a reversal of the pump and when the washer is again operated, the valve 161 will be set to the solid line position and the pump 160 will run in the forward direction to obtain a continued circulation of washing fluid through the cyclone 10 during the washing operation.

Thus, it will be seen that we have provided an improved home laundry mechanism including its Huid system which meets the objectives and advantages hereinbefore set forth.

The over-all mechanism is extremely simple in construction and requires no adjustment or regulation during its operation. Yet, regulated operation can be obtained by adjustment ofthe amount of iiuid passing through theV overhow through Yadjustment of a simple valve. Y

Cleaning ofthe collection vessel is automatically and simply achieved byV an arrangement which does not require 'manual attention and the waste material is flushed away using the same water vor iluid which is being cleaned.` TheV iiushing can also be obtained by direct operation of the flushing valve 90 in combination with the use of a shut-olf valve 7 S.

The apparatus and methods employed thereby are well adapted to removing particles of large size variations Without the loss of a significant amount of fluid. Thus, the apparatus is well adapted kto usein a home laundry machine wherein uid must be conserved, and wherein foreign particles, such as lint and soil of a large variation in size and density, must be removed.

We have, in the drawings and specification, presentedY a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment of our invention, but it is to be understood that we do not intendV to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to Coverall modifications, changes and alternative `constructions and methods failing Within the scope of the principles taught by our invention. Y

We claim as our invention:V 1. A laundry machine comprising an automatic washer having .presettable sequential control means for operating the machine through a cycle including a series of laundering periods,

said machine comprising a tub adapted to receive laundry liquid therein, washing means in said tub for admixing immiscible solids Washed from materials contained therein with the laundry liquid, pumping means having an inlet connected with the tub for driving the laundry liquid and the admixed solids drawn from the tub inrtheform of aV stream, a separator for purifying the stream of laundry liquid during selected periods of the laundry machine Y cycle,` vi

said separator comprising a cyclone chamber having a tangential inlet orice receiving the stream discharged by said pumping means and vortically whirling the stream to produce a iluid vortex in said cyclone chamber, a-vortex nding tube extending into said cyclone chamber` at Vthe large end of the fluid vortex for receiving clarified eluent, effluent conduit means connected to said finding tube `and. to said tub for returning the claried effluent to said tub, means connected to said'cyclone chamher` at thek small end ofthe fluid vortex and having an outlet for receiving the separated solids,

said means including a collection vessel communicating with said outlet to provide a quiescent pool in which the separated solids gravitationallyfsettle,

a drain conduit connected to the bottom of said collection` vessel and leading to drain,

rand vessel ushing means comprising afpressure responsive valve controlling the communication of said collection vessel with said drain conduit,

. and a valve in saidY eiiiuent conduit means controlled by said presettable sequential control means for effecting pressure ushing of the'collection vessel to drain upon closing of said Valve in said c luent conduit means during selected periods of the laundry machine cycle. K

2; A laundry machine as defined in claim l, and

an overflow conduit connected at one end to said collection vessel near tne top :thereof and connected at its opposite end to said tub,

said' overflow conduit having a valve therein to direct overflow liquid from said collection vessel torsaid tub, the adjustment of said valve in said overiiow conduit operating to adjustably regulate the operation ofthe separator. Y

3. A laundry machine'as defined in claim 1,

a suds storage reservoir associated with said machine, and valve controlled conduit means connected with said pumping means and with said storage reservoir and being regulated by. said presettable sequential control means Ito temporarily store laundry liquid in said suds storage reservoir during selected periods of a laundry machine cycle.

4. A laundry machine as defined in claim 1,

said washingv means in said tub comprising a perforated vertical axis basket to confine the materials being laundered and agitating meansV in said basket to mechanically ex thermaten'als.

vReferences'Cited in the file of this patent i UNITED STATES PATENTS 453,105 Bretney May 26, 1891 1,355,073 Brenkert Oct. 5, 1920 1,459,997 Shelly e June 26, 1923 2,381,760A Latham i Aug. 7, 1945 2,481,979 Cooley Q.; Sept.Y 13, 1949 2,649,963 Pomaia Aug. 25, 1953 2,823,534 

